Report Date:
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Cave Lake is lowered to minimum and unfishable. Fish stocking will resume once the dam repairs are completed. Cave Lake is closed to fishing due to shorelines that are very soft and dangerous due to the complete saturation of the soil as the lake is drained. By draining the lake, it should shave a couple of years off the re-building of the dam and cut costs tremendously. It will also make the project much safer for those performing the work. For more information on Cave Lake, please contact the NDOW Ely Field Office.
The lake has filled nicely and stocking resumed this spring at Cold Creek Reservoir with approximately 8,000 trout, so anglers can expect to catch hatchery size, 8-to-10-inch rainbows. Fishing for Largemouth Bass will be slow because the drawdowns over the last few winters but there are a few bass left in the reservoir. NDOW will continue to work to rebuilding the Largemouth Bass fishery with augmentations this summer.
Surface water temperatures are in the mid to high 60’s and fishing is fair to good for quality 15 to 18 inch rainbow trout and fair to good for bass. With the spring stocking expect to also catch eight to 10 inch trout. Bass fishing is picking up. Although not as common, anglers will be to catch Brown Trout and Tiger Trout in the lake. These fish are currently running between 12 and 16 inches, however there is potential to hook into a 20+ inch Brown Trout. Nightcrawlers have been working for trout though anglers have also been doing well using PowerBait. For fly rodders, this time of year chironomid patterns are recommended as they can make up as much as 80% of the trout’s diet in the spring in our high desert reservoirs. Black or olive wooly buggers and black, olive or wine-colored leech patterns may also entice trout. Damselfly nymphs are becoming active and will soon be hatching. With water temperatures in the mid 60’s the Largemouth Bass are on the bite and more active than in May. Bass are hitting on soft plastic worms and grubs in a variety of colors as well as swimbaits and lures. Northern Pike fishing appears to be picking up in recent weeks, with a handful of 20-to-24-inch pike being caught. Spinning tackle has produced the best results for pike. Anglers please note that NDOW has placed radio tags in several Northern Pike. These pike will have an orange Floy tag near their dorsal fin and a small antenna (~ 7 inches long) coming from their stomach. Please return these fish to the water for research purposes. All other pike should be humanely dispatched. There is no limit on the pike. The lake has been stocked with approximately 14,900 trout this spring.
Surface water temperatures have moved into the mid 60’s and fishing has been fair to good for eight to 10 inch stocked trout with an occasional larger carryover fish. With the dry conditions, irrigation has started and the water level at this reservoir is starting to drop. Anglers will do well with a variety of night crawlers, PowerBait, and spinners. For bait anglers nightcrawlers and rainbow PowerBait are the best bet. Small spinners, spoons and Kastmasters in gold for those throwing hardware should work. For fly rodders, this time of year chironomid patterns (midge larva) are recommended as they can make up as much as 80% of the trout’s diet in the spring in our high desert reservoirs. Black or olive wooly buggers and black, olive or wine-colored leech patterns should also catch trout. For a change of pace anglers should try fishing Illipah Creek for brown trout. Spring stocking is complete here with Illipah having been stocked with approximately 13,000 trout.
Almost dry and no fish.
Starting Wednesday, June 15, anglers may put boats with electric motors only on the south lake. Expect fair bass fishing to begin with until the water gets a bit warmer. For bass most anglers use three to five inch soft plastic grubs fished on a weedless hook. Dark colors with sparkle seem to work best. Popular colors include motor oil, quacamole, root beer, black, dark blue and dark green. For trout fish the spring heads in deeper water. Spin anglers should be using small spinners in black or olive with contrasting yellow or red colors. Fly fishermen should be using small leech, wooly bugger and nymph patterns.
Surface water temperatures have moved into the mid to high 60’s and fishing for bass has been good. With the warmer temperatures and sunny days expect the algae to get thicker and the weed beds at the south end of the lake to start forming. Fishing has been fair to good for trout depending upon the day for spin, bait and fly rodders. Bait anglers seem to be having the best luck with worms floated off the bottom about 20-30 feet from shore in six to 10 feet of water. Fly fishermen report that fishing has also been fair to good for trout in the 15 to 20-inch range. Most are being caught with chironomid (midge larva) patterns fished under an indicator. Black or red snow cones with a white bead and contrasting red or black wire ribbing have also been working. Black, olive or purple wooly buggers and leech patterns as well as damselfly nymphs are other patterns to try. Mayflies are starting to appear so the usual Mayfly patterns such as pale morning duns (PMD’s), Adams, light Cahills and blue winged olives should work. Spin fishermen should be using gold colored spinners or lures for trout. Male bass have transitioned from the deeper water to the spawning beds hanging so please give them a break and don’t fish the beds. If fishing for bass, fish the deeper transition water just offshore. Chartreuse was working for the wipers and chartreuse or light olive appeared to be working for black bass. South Fork was stocked with 500 wipers and 10,000 catfish a few weeks ago. It has also been stocked with approximately 41,000 trout this spring. No black bass may be kept until July 1. Return them to the water as soon as they are caught.
The perch die-off is continuing at Wildhorse Reservoir but it doesn’t appear to be affecting trout or other species. Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) biologists have taken biological samples for testing to try to find the cause of the die-off. Anglers report that fishing from shore has slowed but for those who can get on the water either in a float tube or boat success has been better but not as good as it has been. Perch fishing has been poor. Bass fishing is starting to pick up and anglers report some nice bass, though they must be immediately returned to the lake until July 1. The same fly patterns continue to work as fly fishermen are having some success with wine colored leech patterns as well as wine or red chironomids. Olive, wine and black/blood leeches and buggers have also produced a few fish. For bait anglers try fishing an inflated worm a few feet off the bottom using a slip sinker in water that is eight to 12 feet deep. Another option would be to roll some PowerBait to make a bell shape and fish it in a similar fashion to the inflated worm using a slip sinker and it will float up a couple of feet above the bottom. Make sure to dip the PowerBait in the water for a few seconds after it is on the hook to “gel” it up so it doesn’t come off the hook when casting. Wildhorse was stocked with 10,000 trout in early April, approximately 5,000 trout in May and 500 wipers a few weeks ago. No black bass may be kept until July 1. Please return all black bass to the lake as soon as they are caught.
No fish
The road was in good shape earlier this week but with the recent precipitation may be muddy. However expect it to dry out quickly by the early next week. The lake level is still low with the water only covering a foot or two of the concrete at the very bottom of the boat ramp. There is not enough to launch a boat. Fishing has been good for fly fishermen with anglers still reporting 40 fish days with trout taking just about any fly that was thrown at them though leeches and wooly buggers seem to be the favorite. The fish were averaging 13to 17 inches and fat. Angers should use the same presentations and techniques as are being used at South Fork Reservoir. Since the big question every spring is when will the lake spill, with the low water levels and lack of snow pack, it probably won’t spill this year as it appears the peak snowmelt runoff has already occurred. Wilson was planted with approximately 12,000 trout on April 1.
